North coach Samantha Beattie leads the afternoon practice of the boys’ water polo team at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Nolan McKellar plays for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Kolton Kippel lobs a ball during North Torrance High School water polo afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

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Randy Kwak plays goalie for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

North coach Samantha Beattie leads the afternoon practice of the boys’ water polo team at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Randy Kwak, left, and Scott Fukushima play for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Nolan McKellar plays for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Sophia Garcia has a shot on goal as Lindsay Upper defends during North Torrance High School water polo afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Sophia Garcia has a shot on goal during North Torrance High School water polo afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Trent Dufek plays for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Trent Dufek plays for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Nolan McKellar plays for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

North coach Samantha Beattie leads the afternoon practice of the boys’ water polo team at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Mathew Gregory looks to score during North Torrance High School water polo afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

North coach Samantha Beattie leads the afternoon practice of the boys’ water polo team at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

North coach Samantha Beattie leads the afternoon practice of the boys’ water polo team at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Randy Kwak plays goalie for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Scott Fukushima plays for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

North coach Samantha Beattie leads the afternoon practice of the boys’ water polo team at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Mathew Gregory blocks Kolton Kippel’s pass during North Torrance High School water polo afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

North coach Samantha Beattie leads the afternoon practice of the boys’ water polo team at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Randy Kwak, left, and Scott Fukushima play for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Randy Kwak plays goalie for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Scott Fukushima plays for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Scott Fukushima plays for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Randy Kwak plays goalie for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Scott Fukushima plays for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Randy Kwak, left, and Scott Fukushima play for the North Torrance High School water polo team during afternoon practice at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

North Torrance is in the first year of having a boys water polo program, and already the Saxons have impressed opposing coaches.

“We played our first game against Banning (Aug. 29), and their coach (Jennifer Osorio) said the boys looked really good,” North coach Samantha Beattie said. “She said they know the basics.”

That’s the goal for Beattie, who is in her first year coaching after being an assistant on North’s swim team for the past two years.

“This team started with nothing, no equipment, no knowledge,” Beattie said. “We won our first game, and we’ve shown we’re capable of being a good team. Other coaches have been very surprised with our team having zero knowledge of water polo.”

Beattie was in the same situation a few years ago. After swimming at North and graduating in 2016, Beattie went to El Camino College. It was there, under Coach Corey Stansbury, that she fell in love with water polo.

Like Beattie, the Saxons are comfortable in the pool – all of the players are also on North’s swim team. When the idea of forming a water polo team bounced around the campus, she noticed that it didn’t take much persuasion to form a team.

“The boys were all really excited (about forming a water polo program). It didn’t take too much convincing,” Beattie said. “They were all really excited.”

The program consists of 11 players and no lower-level team, and Beattie acknowledged that it is difficult to get more students interested in aquatics at North due to the facilities being off campus. North plays its games at the Torrance Aquatic Center on Crenshaw Blvd.

“Aquatics isn’t really known at Torrance high schools because the pool is off campus,” Beattie said. “It’s hard to get people excited without a pool on campus.”

Scott Fukushima, Randy Kwak and Nolan McKellar are three of the players who have stood out to Beattie in the early days of the program. She is looking forward to those three leading the program forward.

“Scott, Randy and Nolan all push to learn more (about water polo),” Beattie said. “Scott tries to get better each day, Randy is our goalkeeper and pushes everyone as much as he can, and Nolan catches on very quick.”

While Beattie doesn’t expect a CIF Southern Section Division 6 title in her first year, she is already impressed by the play of the first-year program.

“I want them to understand the sport, have fun and enjoy it,” Beattie said. “It’s an aggressive sport, and the fact that they’re catching on so quick is beyond my expectations.”

Local notes

Mira Costa’s water polo program is currently without a pool. With its facilities currently being worked on, the Mustangs have had to practice at other facilities, including Redondo, Palos Verdes and Loyola Marymount University. …

Peninsula’s first win of the season, a 10-7 decision over Santa Monica, was Coach Bryan Weaver’s 600th of his career.